C5/1: Teams and Work Groups Types of Teams and Their Functions

Chapter 2: Types of Teams and Their Functions

When students finish studying this part, they should be able to:
1. Define team types.
2. Distinguish between formal and informal groups.
3. Understand how to build a good team.
4. Explain team role in solving organizational problems.
5. Determine teams as an inevitable tool in performing business.
6. Understand the process of making use of diversity in teams.
7. Define the self-managed teams in organizations.

Types of 2.1 Types of Teams

Teams

Teams can be classified according to their objective. The four most

common forms of teams you are likely to find in an organization are
problem-solving teams, self-managed teams, cross-functional teams,
and virtual teams.

Problem- A) Problem-Solving Teams

Solving
Teams They are typically composed of 5 to 12 employees from the same
department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of
improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.

Organizations are relaying more and more on problem-solving teams to

help solve organizational problems, as shown in Figure 2.1.

Problem

Figure 2.1: Problem-solving team

In problem-solving teams, members share ideas or offer suggestions

on how work process and methods can be improved. Rarely, however,
are these teams given the authority to unilaterally implement any of
their suggested actions, as shown in Figure 2.2.
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Figure 2.2: Team hoac

Self-Managed
Teams B) Self-Managed Teams
They are generally composed of 10 to 15 people who take on the
responsibilities of their former supervisors. Typically, these
responsibilities include:
a) Collective control over the pace of work,
b) Determination of work assignments,
c) Organization of breaks, and
d) Collective choice of inspection procedures used.

Fully self-managed teams select their own members, and the members
evaluate each others performance. As a result, supervisory positions
take on decreased importance and may even be eliminated, see Figure
2.3.

Figure 2.3: Self-managed team

Cross-
Functional
Teams C) Cross - Functional Teams
Cross-functional teams are made of employees at about the same
hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to
accomplish a task.

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Cross-functional teams are an effective means of allowing people from

diverse areas within an organization to exchange information, develop
new ideas, solve problems, and coordinate complex projects. Cross-
functional teams bring people with different functional specialties to
better invent design, or deliver a product or service. The general goals
of using cross-functional team include some combination of innovation,
speed and quality that come from early coordination among the various
specialties

Virtual Teams D) Virtual Teams

Virtual teams use computers technology to tie tighter physically

dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal. They allow
people to collaborate online, whether they are only a room apart or
separated by continents.

The three primary factors that differentiate virtual teams from face-to-
face teams are:
a) The absence of Para verbal and nonverbal cues.
b) Limited social context.
c) The ability to overcome time and space constraints.

Teams Role 2.2 Teams Role in Solving Organizational

in Solving
Organizational Problems
Problems
Team decision-making process assists organization to solve non-
routine problems. It is always said the two brains are better than
one. The advantages of team decision-making process are:
a) Problem definition: teams can define the problem more
clearly. Team members can visualize the problem from
different perspectives. The integration of those perspectives
helps the team to reach a clear definition of the problem.
b) Data collection: teams are able to collect more data than
individual.
c) Developing alternatives: teams can develop more
alternatives than individuals. Teams usually use different
techniques such as brainstorming, nominal groupings, and
Delphi techniques.
d) Evaluating and selecting alternatives: team discussions
can always produce more positive solutions of a problem.
Teams also use more objectives criteria in selecting the right
alternative.
e) Implementing the solution: teams are able to define the
roles of each team member in implementing the solution of the
problem.

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Formal and
Informal
2.3 Formal and Informal Groups
Groups
Groups come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. Most managers
belong to several different groups at the same time, some at work,
some at community, some formally organized, and some informal and
social in nature. The most basic way of identifying types of groups is to
distinguish between:
9 Formal groups, and
9 Informal groups, as shown in Figure 2.4.

Types of groups

Formal Informal

Figure 2.4: Types of groups

A) Formal Groups
Formal
Groups
The organizations managers to accomplish goals and serve the needs
of the organization deliberately create formal groups. The major
purpose of formal groups is to perform specific tasks and achieve
specific objectives defined by the organization. The most common type
of formal work group consists of individuals cooperating under the
direction of a leader. Examples of formal groups are departments,
divisions, taskforce, project groups, quality circles, committees, and
boards of directors.

Formal groups are created by the organization and are intentionally

designed to direct members toward some important organizational
goal. One type of formal group is referred to as a command group (i.e.,
those who can legitimately give orders to others). Formal
organizational group also may be formed around some specific task.
Such a group is referred to as a task group. Unlike command groups, a
task group may be composed of individuals with some special interest
or expertise in a specific area regardless of their positions in the
organizational hierarchy.
Informal
Groups
B) Informal Groups

Informal groups in organizations are not formed or planned by the

organizations managers. Rather, they are self-created and evolve out
of the formal organization for a variety of reasons, such as proximity,

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common interests, or needs of individuals. It would be difficult for

organization to prohibit informal working relationships from developing.

Informal groups develop naturally among an organizations personnel

without any direction from management. One key factor in the
emergence of informal groups is a common interest shared by its
members. For example, a group of employees who band together to
seek union representation may be called an interest group

Of course, sometimes the interests that bind individuals together are

far more diffuse. Groups may develop out of a common interest in
participating in sports, or going to the movies, or just getting together to
talk. These kinds of informal groups are known as friendship groups.

2.4 Task Interdependence Types

Task
Interdependence
Types There are three types of task interdependence groups, see Figure 2.5;
these types are:
Pooled Task Interdependence: members make separate,
independent contributions to group. Group performance is the
sum of member contributions.

Sequential Task Interdependence: members perform tasks in

a sequential order. It is hard to determine individual performance
since one member depends on another.

Reciprocal Task Interdependence: work performed by a

member is dependent on work by others. Members share
information and work closely together.

Task Interdependence Teams

Pooled Sequential Reciprocal

Task Task Task
Interdependence Interdependence Interdependence

Figure 2.5: Task interdependence teams

How to Build
a Good Team 2.5 How to Build a Good Team
To build a good team, you should do as shown in Table 2.1.

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Table 2.1: Building a good team

Always
1. Deliver on time and alert
team ASAP when unexpected
delays occur.
2. Attend all team meetings on
time.
3. Speak up, Speak out, and
interact at all team meetings.
4. Take personal interest in
Can you tell planning and problem solving.
more!!!!!!
5. Look for ways to go-the-
second-mile on your own.
Never
1. Tell your teammates or leader
how much time and effort you are
putting into your assignment.
2. Assume the role of resident
critic and complainer.
3. Wait for someone to tell/ask
you what to do next.
4. Delay actions and make
excuses.
5. Isolate yourself from the others.

Self-Managed 2.6 Self-Managed Teams

Teams
Experts agree that tasks assigned to self-managed work teams should
be complex and challenging, requiring high interdependence among
team members for accomplishment. In general, these tasks should
have the qualities of enriched jobs, thus, teams should see the task as
significant, they should perform the task from beginning to end, and
they should use a variety of skills. The point here is that self-managed
teams have to have something useful to self-manage, and it is fairly
complex tasks that capitalize on the diverse knowledge and skills of a
group. If a theme runs through this discussion of tasks for self-
managed teams, it is the breakdown of traditional, conventional,
specialized roles in the group. Group members adopt roles that will
make the group effective, not ones that are simply related to a narrow
specialty.

The Composition of Self-Managed Teams

How should organizations assemble self-managed teams to

ensure effectiveness? "Stable, small, and smart" might be a fast
answer.

Stability. Self-managed teams require considerable interaction and

high cohesiveness among their members. This, in turn, requires
understanding and trust. To achieve this, group will cause it to fail to
develop a true team identity.

Size. In keeping with the demands of the task, self- managed teams
should be as small as is feasible. The goal here is to keep coordination
problems and social loafing to a minimum

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Expertise. It goes without saying that group members should have a

high level of expertise about the task at hand. Everybody doesnt know
everything but the group as a whole should be very knowledgeable
about the task

Diversity. A team should have members who are similar enough to

work well together and diverse enough to bring a variety of
perspectives and skills to the task at hand.

Questions for Questions for Discussion

Discussion
1- Where were your strongest (highest score) and weakest
(lowest score) reasons for joining this group?
2- Besides the four reasons identified here, what other reasons
did you have for joining this group?
3- Would your scores be different from those you thought about
another group you may have joined? Repeat the questionnaire
to find out.

Assessment 2.1

Are You a Team Player?

Direction:
The following assessment instrument asks you to examine your
behavior as a team member in organizational setting. For each pair of
items, place a check mark in the space in the column that best
identifies how you behave in a working group at school, in student or
community groups, or on your job, as shown in Table 2.2.

Interpretation: in each pair of items, the items on the left are more
associated with team behaviors than items on the right.

1. In what ways do these behaviors agree with your concept of

team membership? How do they differ?
2. What strengths do you think you have working on a team?
Weaknesses?
Are there times when you have preformed more effectively as a team
member? If so, what events or circumstances made you behave
differently in the different situation?

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Table 2.2: Behavioral examination

Very Some Both Some Very Some
like what describe what like what
me like me like me like
me me me
Flexible in own Set in my
ideas own ideas
Open to new Avoid new
ideas ideas
Listen well to Tune out
others others
Trusting of Not
others trusting
others
Prefer to raise Prefer to
differences and avoid
discuss them discussing
differences
Readily Hold back
contribute in from
group meetings contributin
g in group
meetings
Concerned for Not
what happens concerned
to others for what
happens to
others
Fully committed Have little
to tasks commitme
nt to tasks
Willing to help Prefer to
others to get stick to my
the job done own task
or job
description
Share Maintainin
leadership with g full
group control of
group
Encourage Expect
others to others to
participate participate
without
encourage
ment
Group needs My
Group come individual
before my My needs
individual come
needs before
group
needs

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Assessment 2.2

Decision-Making & Creative Problem Solving

Statement Self Group

01 I/we seek accuracy of information by adding to or
questioning summaries.
02 I/we seek elaboration by relating to familiar events
or asking how others understand material.
03 I/we ask for additional information or rationale.
04 I/we seek clever ways of remembering ideas and
facts (e.g., posters, visuals, notes, electronic
devices, public agendas).
05 I/we ask other members why and how they are
reasoning.
06 I/we encourage the assigning of specific roles to
facilitate better group functioning (e.g., process
observer).
07 I/we ask for feedback in a non-confrontational
way.
08 I/we help to decide the next steps for the group.
09 I/we diagnose group difficulties regarding tasks.
10 I/we diagnose group difficulties regarding
interpersonal problems.
11 I/we encourage the generation and exploration of
multiple solutions to problems through the use of
creative problem-solving strategies.

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